Source: Dana Minihan, 785-532-7258, prplpwr@k-state.edu
Photo available. Contact media@k-state.edu or 785-532-6415
Note to editors: Matt Pachta is a graduate of Linn High School.
News release prepared by: Katie Starzec, 785-532-7105, kstarzec@k-state.edu
Friday, Dec. 7, 2007
K-STATE AGRONOMY STUDENTS WIN NATIONAL HONORS
MANHATTAN -- Several agronomy students from Kansas State University received national honors at the recent 2007 American Society of Agronomy annual meetings in New Orleans.
Lauren Smith, graduate student in genetics, Lenexa, received the Frank D. Keim Graduate Fellowship. The award is abased on academic excellence, leadership experiences and future plans involving agronomy. Funding for the fellowship comes from the Agronomic Science Foundation.
Other honors included K-State's Wheat State Agronomy Club earning third place in the President's Cup Year in Review competition. Dana Minhan, K-State department of agronomy assistant academic coordinator, served as faculty adviser to the club at the meetings.
The K-State Quiz Bowl team won second place, and K-State took first and second places for posters at the Research Symposium. A K-State student also was on the first-place team in the Multi-University Quiz Bowl team. In addition, several K-State students were named American Society of Agronomy national officers, committee chairs and interns for 2008.
K-State students, all agronomy majors unless otherwise noted, earning honors from the American Society of Agronomy, elected as officers, committee chairs or interns or who attended the annual meeting include:
Mark Davis, Bavaria, first place, Research Symposium poster; Matt Becker, senior, Centralia, Quiz Bowl second-place team; Clif Steffen, sophomore, Conway Springs, 2008 intern; Kevin Hecht, sophomore, Council Grove, 2008 Parliamentarian Committee chair; Charlie Parsons, senior, Ellsworth, 2008 intern; Paul Hartley, senior, Emporia, attended meeting; Matt Wyckoff, sophomore, Gardner, 2008 Crops Judging Committee chair; Kelsey McGie, freshman in milling science management and agronomy, Iola, 2008 Soils Judging Committee chair; Scott Dooley, senior in agronomy, Jewell, Quiz Bowl second-place team; Jenae Skelton, sophomore in agronomy, Larned, 2008 recording secretary; Rawly Kaufman, senior in agronomy, Lucas, Quiz Bowl second-place team.
Matt Pachta, senior, Manhattan, attended meeting; Holly Weber, senior, Milan, attended meeting; Michael Popelka, senior, Munden, attended meeting; Josh Andres, sophomore, Newton, attended meeting; Cody Swinehart, senior, Norwich, Multi-University Quiz Bowl first-place team.
From Prairie Village: Andrew McGowan, junior, delivered the Wheat State Agronomy Club presentation; and Angela Tran, junior, attended meeting.
Leah Ferdinand, senior, Reading, attended meeting; Nick Ward, senior, Wamego, Quiz Bowl second-place team; Adam Heitman, senior, Webber, second place, Research Symposium poster; and Michael Macek, junior in animal sciences and industry, Wilson, 2008 Speech Contest Committee chair.